A review of more than 3 million documents released by the Justice Department shows that at least six senior officials in the current Trump administration had some level of contact with Jeffrey Epstein.
The extent of those connections varies widely — from a single email exchange to years of communication. President Donald Trump appears thousands of times in the documents, reflecting what has long been described as a lengthy association between the two men. Trump has never been charged with any wrongdoing related to Epstein and has said he ended the relationship in the mid-2000s, calling Epstein a “creep.” He has repeatedly denied any misconduct.
During a tense congressional oversight hearing Wednesday, Rep. Becca Balint, D-Vt., asked Attorney General Pam Bondi whether any current administration officials had been questioned by the Justice Department about their ties to Epstein. Bondi declined to directly answer, responding, “I’m stunned that you want to continue talking about Epstein.”
On Thursday, Trump praised Bondi’s Senate testimony in a Truth Social post, asserting that the released files “conclusively” show he has been “100% exonerated.”
The document release also references figures from previous Democratic administrations. Former President Bill Clinton, former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers, and former Obama White House counsel Kathy Ruemmler all appear in the files.
Ruemmler announced this week that she would step down as Goldman Sachs’ top lawyer following scrutiny over extensive email exchanges with Epstein. She has said her interactions were limited to her work as a defense attorney and that she regrets having known him.
Summers announced in November that he would take a leave of absence from teaching at Harvard University and step back from public engagements after emails surfaced showing he corresponded with Epstein as late as July 2019. Summers has expressed regret and said he is “deeply ashamed” of the communications. He has not been accused of any criminal wrongdoing.
Clinton has said he severed ties with Epstein before the financier was first accused in 2006 of having sex with a minor. His spokesperson has said the emails demonstrate that Clinton “did nothing and knew nothing.” Authorities have not accused him of wrongdoing.
The files also reference two former Trump administration officials — Elon Musk, who previously led the Department of Government Efficiency, and former chief strategist Steve Bannon. Neither has been accused of criminal activity related to Epstein.
Alex Acosta, who served as Trump’s Labor secretary during his first term, was the U.S. attorney in Florida who oversaw Epstein’s first federal case. In 2008, Acosta approved a controversial nonprosecution agreement that allowed Epstein to plead guilty to lesser state charges. Acosta has defended that decision, saying his office acted appropriately given the circumstances at the time. He resigned in 2019 after renewed scrutiny of the plea deal.
When asked about Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick’s acknowledgment that he visited Epstein’s private island in 2012, Trump said he had not discussed the trip with Lutnick. Trump stated he was never there and reiterated that he had no involvement.
No prominent U.S. political figure mentioned in the files has been charged by law enforcement in connection with Epstein’s crimes, and all have denied wrongdoing. A joint DOJ-FBI memo released last year concluded there was no evidence of a so-called “client list” and stated that no additional prosecutions were expected.
The newly released records provide a detailed look at past associations between Epstein, his longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell, and individuals across political and business circles, though investigators have not brought further charges.
